Percy's Pain
by BML Hillen-Keene
Summary: Bill goes in search of his brother after recieving a letter. What he finds isn't what he ever expected. Pure Weasley Family, brotherly love. Hint of PWOW.
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: Don't own._

_Written pre. HBP, so nothing after OOTP counts in this universe._

_I have reworked, and rewritten some of this story. Percy's Pain has always been one of my favourite fan fictions, which out of all that I have written in my day, and the sheer number I have immensely enjoyed (completed or not), is a feat. I decided, quite simply, that it needed some work to be even better. To those who have read before, not too much has changed from the original story, the essence is the same, some chapters haven't changed at all. But I can now say, for myself, that this story is now complete._

_To my many faithful reviewers, who followed this story when it was first written, please know I truly appreciated your words, and was sorry to lose them. However, reposting from nothing seemed the right thing to do. You don't have to review again, but if you did, I'd love you all over again._

_In warning, for anyone new, this story is about homosexuality, and the affect it can have both on the person who discovers they are gay, and those around them. It looks into homophobia, bullying/harassment, and family. There is also a light romance (of the homosexual variety), but it is very tasteful, as I am not the kind to write full out smut/sex scenes. Besides, romance is far more important to the story, so that is what is here._

_Now that you have been warned, please go forth and enjoy. And please review._

**PERCY'S PAIN**

_Chapter 1_

_Bill,_

_I know I__'__m the last person you ever want to hear from; I__'__m the last person anyone wants to hear from. But I__'__m not writing because of that, I__'__m writing because__…_

_Remember the year I started Hogwarts and you told me to owl you if I ever had a problem? Does the offer still stand after everything I__'__ve done? Because I believe I may have a problem._

_Percy_

_Bill,_

_Ignore that last letter; it was a momentary lapse in judgement. I apologise for any inconvenience caused._

_Percy_

Bill looked at both letters, Percy had once written to him, in second year, asking what to do about a bully in school, his letter formed in much the same way as the first he had received. Almost conversational, in the awkward way of Percy. But it was the second letter that concerned Bill, it translated, basically, into _'__I really need your help but I don__'__t want to be a bother__'_.

He had received a similar one to this when Percy had been in fourth year and being bullied again. Bill had made the mistake of disregarding his feelings that time and it had ended up with Percy in the school hospital wing, as he had found out from the twins, who Percy had made promise not to tell their parents. He was not about to do so again, no matter how angry he was with what Percy had put them all through in the summer before Ron's fifth year, and all subsequent years.

With great purpose he looked over the letters again, he didn't know where Percy lived now, but if he concentrated enough maybe he could reach him. So he concentrated, apparated and hoped.

He found himself in a cramped room, with an old worn sofa to one side, a desk with a leg missing, propped up by old books, a threadbare blanket was crumpled on the ground over a thin pillow, obviously, someone slept in here. Convinced he was in the wrong place Bill paused, perplexed, before raising his wand.

He was about to apparate out when there was a shuffle behind him and a soft gasp. He turned and his eyes widened in shock.

"Percy?" he managed.

Percy regarded him with warily, an almost frightened look in his eyes. His arms were wrapped around his chest, showing just how thin he was, his robes hung off him, his glasses sat awkwardly on his nose.

"You… You…" was all Percy managed to get out, but Bill understood.

"Of course I came Percy." He stepped forward to his brother, Percy's face crumpled, and Bill could see the tears in his eyes. He pulled his little brother into a hug, absolutely shocked at this pitiful version of his normally so collected and reserved brother. "Shh…" he mumbled softly. "Shh… its ok."

Percy broke into quiet, raging sobs, causing what felt like spasms course through his body. "Shh." Bill whispered, stroking his brother's fiery hair softly, feeling his heart break as Percy cried.

"Why did you…" Percy pulled away suddenly, rubbing one hand over his eyes, turning away, trying to tidy up the room; he lifted the blanket and began folding and refolding it.

Bill watched him, his heart clenching. "I made the mistake of ignoring my feelings before and you ended up in the infirmary at school. I wasn't about to do it again."

"But after what I did… what I am…" Percy closed his eyes tightly, swaying on his feet; he fell back onto the seat, that groaned loudly and buried his face in the blanket, though he didn't cry again it was obviously a near thing.

Bill settled himself on the seat, pulling Percy to him again. "Percy, no matter what you did I am not about to let something happen to you that I could prevent."

Finally, Percy calmed down again and got to his feet, picking up the grimy pillow and putting it where he had been sitting. "Would you like some tea… some biscuits? I… I bought them in case… in case you came… do you?" His tone was faintly pleading, desperate.

"All right Percy." Bill nodded, biting his lip as he watched Percy shuffle into the kitchen. He shuffled out ten minutes later with a little pot, the handle broken and two chipped cups and a little plate of biscuits on a tray, he set the tray down on the desk and poured the tea, he carried it over to Bill, his hands shaking slightly. Bill accepted the cup with a worried smile.

"I… I…" Percy struggled to say something. "I'll get the milk." He whispered dashing back into the kitchen; he came out after a while with a little plastic bottle of milk and handed it to Bill before he got himself a cup of tea.

They sat in silence, Bill stoutly refused to let on that he noticed that the milk was a bit sour and the biscuits stale; but it infused his worry for Percy more. Finally, he put the cup down and waited for his brother to look at him. When he didn't Bill plunged right in.

"Percy, what happened to you?"

Percy bit his lip hard. "I… I don't know what you're talking about." He whispered, cringing slightly.

"Percy, the flat? That fact that you're thin enough to be a stick. Perce, what happened, tell me, why did you write to me?" Bill said in his gentlest tone, afraid of scaring Percy.

Percy blinked and looked up, despair shining in his eyes. "I'm sorry Bill." He mumbled. "I should never have written to you. I'm sorry."

"I'm glad you did!" Bill exclaimed, he got to his feet and paced for a moment, Percy watched him with wide vulnerable eyes. Bill stopped, taking in Percy's appearance and his mind was made up. "Perce, you're coming home with me."

"What-?" a flicker of hope flitted through his eyes before they darkened again. "I… I can't… work." He mumbled his tone desperately sad.

"No Percy, write in and say you won't be going, you are coming home with me and that's final." Bill said, wondering at the look of fear that passed through Percy's face. "Perce, Percy, what's the matter?"

"I can't Bill… I…I can't…"

Bill frowned. "Then I'll write in, I'm sure you're due about four years worth of holidays anyway."

"No!" Percy cried. "No… I'll write."

"Ok Percy, but do it quickly, where's Hermes?" Bill glanced round, realising suddenly that he had not noticed the owl.

"I sold him." Percy mumbled almost inaudibly.

"You sold your owl? Why Percy?" Bill asked, shocked, Hermes had been Percy's pride and joy from the moment he got it.

"I had to."

Bill looked around again, and it dawned on him. "Oh… Come on Perce, you can write at my house and send it with Banquo." He caught Percy's hand and pulled him towards the fireplace. "I assume it's connected?"

Percy nodded meekly.

Bill nodded. "Well that's something," he picked up a bit of floo powder and gave it to Percy. "Just say William Weasley's residence, ok?"

Percy nodded and stepped into the fireplace, said the words softly and disappeared. Bill followed quickly to find Percy staring dismally at the soot stain he had made on the floor. "Its ok Perce, we'll clean it later, go write that letter, the paper and Banquo are in the next room."

Percy shuffled through to the write the letter, Bill slipped quickly over to start the water boiling slowly; he would make something to eat after he made sure Percy had written a letter that said he wouldn't be back for possibly a month, or until Bill deemed him ready to go home.

Bill walked up behind Percy, frowning when he noticed how his shoulders stiffened and his writing stilled.

"You ok Perce?" Bill asked; he was beginning to sound repetitive.

Percy took a deep breath and nodded before continuing to write. Bill read the letter as it was written, as he had foreseen Percy had put, 'a few days', instead of indefinitely, Bill took the quill and corrected it. Percy looked up, confused.

"You're staying here until I'm sure your ok Percy, and I don't know how long that will be."

"But…"

"But nothing Perce, now sign it and we'll get it sent and we'll get some proper food into you."

Percy signed and watched with a half worried, half-terrified expression as Bill tied it to Banquo and sent the owl off.

Bill lead him back to the kitchen, and sat him down and place a steaming cup of tea in front of him. "Ok, what would you like?"

Percy watched Bill make something to eat, he wasn't sure what exactly, but anything had to better than stale biscuits. Percy looked at the cooling cup of untouched tea in front of him, feeling tears well up in his eyes again, he cursed himself for a fool, Bill would hate him even worse if he kept bursting into tears.

He squeezed his eyes tightly shut and fought them, his shoulders shaking with the effort. He felt a hand come to rest on his shoulder and he looked up, startled.

"Percy, if you need to cry, you need to cry, stop holding it in."

Percy sniffled a bit before giving in, throwing his arms tightly round Bill's waist and crying again. Bill manoeuvred himself onto the bench and once again held his brother, stroking his hair softly.

"Percy, what happened?" he whispered.

Percy mumbled something unintelligible.

"What?" Bill asked.

Percy shook his head into Bill's shoulder. After a moment he looked up, his face tear stained. "Thank you." He said.

"No problem Perce, no problem."

xxx

Getting Percy to talk about what happened to him was like getting blood from a stone; Bill just couldn't make sense of it, obviously something very bad had happened. he had no money, or at least none that he made any use of. He hadn't been eating right; he was totally exhausted, he had slept most of the three days away, had thrown up whatever food Bill managed to get into him, and got upset at the strangest times and over the strangest things.

Bill needed to know what had happened before he could even begin to think of how to help Percy. He was startled out his thoughts by a very ruffled looking Banquo. He stroked the owl's feathers as he undid the message. It was for Percy.

"Percy!" Bill called softly to his brother, who had curled himself up on the sofa, reading one of Bills books, after having asked permission. That was another thing that bothered Bill, Percy always asked could he do things before doing them, his eyes always lowered, very, very submissive. "A letter."

Percy swallowed hard and accepted the letter, opening it slowly, as if afraid of its contents. As he read his hands shook more and more until the letter finally fell from his hands, he was near tears again. Bill picked up the letter and read it slowly.

_Weasley,_

_I do not recall approving a request for time off. You know very well that all vacation time must be scheduled a month in advance. I would strongly suggest that you return to the office immediately._

_Just remember Weasley, a word in the right ear can make or break your career._

"Percy, who sent this?" Bill asked, not liking the thinly veiled threat in the written words.

Percy looked down.

"Percy!" Bill said, louder, his anger showing. "Who sent this?"

"F… F…"

"Fudge?" Bill asked, his tone hard, covering his shock.

Percy nodded, becoming anxious.

"Why would he send you a letter like this? What does her mean 'a word in the right ear'? What is this about?" he waved the letter around for a moment. "Why is he threatening you? Yes Percy--" he said before Percy could even think to deny it. "It's a threat, you couldn't prove it, but it's a threat. What the hell is this? He didn't approve vacation time? I know for a fact that you haven't taken a day off from work in years, you wouldn't unless you were made to, and he's denying you time off?"

Percy began to shake all over, his breath coming in ragged gasps as he tried to suppress the tears. "He… he sent it be… because I… I… I'm… I owe him for letting me work at all! I should be there!" he jerked out of his seat and was almost at the fireplace before Bill had the presence of mind to stop him.

"Perce, what do you mean you owe him for letting you work, what is it?"

"I… I…" he couldn't get it out.

"You're what Percy?"

Percy took a deep breath, jerking away from Bills grasp and said in a bitter and cutting mutter. "I'm Gay!" then he realised what he had said, his eyes went wide and he began to tremble.

Bill started at him in shock for a moment before having the presence of mind to go to Percy, envelop him in a warm hug and reassure him. "That's it Percy? You're gay? Is that why you've been so closed off with me?" he pulled back to see Percy's shocked face. "There's nothing wrong with being gay Percy, nothing at all, I'm not going to hate you for it."

Percy looked at him, hope again in his eyes. "Really?" he whispered.

"Really."

Percy buried his head into Bills shoulder again, his trembling subsiding a bit.

Bill held him until he remembered the letter; he pulled away again, pushing Percy gently back to the chair. "Is that the secret Fudge knows? Is that what you're so scared of? He can't break your career just by telling people your gay you know" he said gently.

Percy wrapped his arms around himself, looking away.

"Percy," Bill realised it was something more then, even Percy wouldn't be so rundown and exhausted, so ashamed, if it was just about his career. "I need to know, what has he been doing to you? Did he dock your pay or something? Is that why you're so thin and living in that place? What happened?"

"He found out." Percy whispered softly, causing Bill to lean in to hear what he had to say. "I… I don't know how… he called me into his office and told me… he told me that… that m… my kind weren't welcome… that I should be… thrown onto the street like the… like the dog I was… but he said he would keep me on, he said I was lucky because nowhere else would take me, not after… not after finding out what I was…" Percy began to sob again. "If I… if I was ever sick or anything… he wouldn't let me take it off, told me I had to work to make up for being what I was…"

"What?" Bill asked, bewildered.

"I didn't believe him… not at first. But then… then… I tried to ignore it, but he didn't stop… and then some others in the office started. And everything just went wrong… I don't know how! It just did… and then he said he'd tell--" he cut himself off here, visibly flinching from the thought of who Fudge would mention him to. "It just didn't matter after that… I couldn't eat anymore, couldn't sleep. I just… just…and I couldn't let him tell, I couldn't! But he didn't care, no matter what I did, how long I worked… it just wasn't good enough… and I… I…" he collapsed completely into tears and couldn't go on.

Bill held him until he fell asleep from exhaustion, his heart raging within him, how could anyone take advantage of someone like that? He carried Percy to bed, and sat beside him, now at least he knew some of what was wrong, he could attempt to deal with it. Percy began to toss and turn restlessly after a while; Bill stroked his forehead and tried to calm him.

He wanted nothing more than to go to the ministry, find Fudge and punch his lights out, but he couldn't do that without leaving Percy, and Percy needed him, needed him to show him that he wasn't hated for being gay, needed him to just be there.

Bill debated telling anyone else, he would need someone to watch Percy if he had to leave suddenly, he went through the possibilities. Mum? no, she would smother him, dad? No, they never did really get along; the twins Ron and Ginny were defiantly out, which left Charlie. Charlie would understand once it had been explained to him.

Bill looked at his brother and sighed. How could things have gotten so out of hand?


	2. Chapter 2

_Chapter 2_

Bill woke to find that he had fallen asleep beside Percy in the guest bed, and now had his brother's arms wrapped around him. Bill could never remember Percy being so clingy like this before; he supposed it was because he had never really been around much when Percy was younger, and what with the war and the twins, Percy had never really gotten much attention. Now that he thought about it, all of Percy's aloofness and snobbery sprang from this, and his need for attention, the mere fact that Percy hadn't come to tell them what had happened to him, alluded to the distance between them all.

He had to wonder if this bullying… no, harassment, had been going on even before Percy had split with them.

"God Percy." He whispered. "I am so sorry." He looked at his brother, his thin, pasty grey face, dark bags under his eyes, a troubled frown between his brows. He sighed, detangled himself, and made his way to the other room. He paused at the door and looked back, Percy looked so small lying there, so small and sick.

His resolve firmed more and he went to his writing desk and penned three letters, one to Charlie, asking him to floo over as soon as he could. The second to an old school friend, who was now a lawyer, and the third to work, requesting some leave on personal grounds.

When he had sent Banquo off with the letters, he turned to see Percy standing in the doorway, head down, hugging himself. Bill watched him for a moment.

"Perce-what would you say to a spot of shopping?"

Percy looked up. "Shopping?"

"Yeah, I have hardly anything here, and we have to get you some new clothes, you can't go on wearing mine."

"But…" Percy looked pained. "I have no money on me, I'd have to go to the bank, and get some and--" he was starting to look panicked now.

Bill raised a hand to stop the panic attack before it started. Had it got so bad that Percy had started to avoid going outside? "Consider them a present then." He got to his feet. "Come on."

"But…"

"Percy, you're going to have to face the world sometime. It won't be so bad, I promise, and I'll be there with you the whole time."

Percy still looked doubtful, but he conceded.

Half and hour later Bill hustled him out the door with a piece of dry toast, the only thing he could safely get Percy to keep down, and a bottle of water.

"Right." Bill said, looking round the street. "Which way to the shops?" he picked the left and they started walking. They caught a muggle bus into the shopping area.

Percy was beginning to chafe under all the curious looks he was receiving, he kept his head down and stuck close to Bill, this had been a bad idea, a very bad idea!

Bill kept an eye on Percy. He knew the stares Percy was getting were because he looked like death warmed up, but would Percy attach another meaning to them? He took Percy into one of the clothes shops, attracted by all the blues and greens in the window, Percy had always suited those colours.

He kept up a constant stream of stream of conversation while picking out some things. Percy nodded when he had to, looked when he was told and tried his best to ignore everyone else.

"Ok Perce, go try these on, they'll probably be a bit big, but that's ok."

Percy accepted the clothes and disappeared into the changing rooms.

"Is that young man alright?" one of the elderly women asked.

Bill turned. "He's recovering from an illness."

"Oh," she shook her head sympathetically. "Take good care of him."

"I will m'am." Bill flashed her a smile before following Percy in. "You ok Perce?" he called.

Percy pulled back the curtain, dressed in a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt, black and blue.

"Great." Bill studied him. "Do they fit ok?"

Percy nodded.

Bill made him try on other things before he bought them. Next Bill took him on a hunt for a jumper, this time he let Percy pick. "Whichever one you want Perce." He smiled.

Percy looked, he prowled along, caught up in the search until he found one, it was bright red with a patch with a green dragon, stitched to it. Percy didn't say anything, not sure if Bill would approve, after all, it was a fairly childish looking jumper. Bill saw the wistful look and pulled the jumper off; he picked a size somewhat bigger than what Percy was currently and paid for it, inwardly shaking his head at the odd fascination with dragons his younger brothers displayed.

Percy got tired early on, so Bill took a quick trip around the supermarket before they caught the bus home.

Percy folded all his new things and put them in a drawer, he left the jumper out, stroking it slowly. He didn't notice when Bill came into the room.

"Perce."

He looked up, startled.

"Here." Bill handed him something wrapped in brown paper.

"W…what?" Percy asked, surprised.

Bill shrugged. "I just saw it and I could pass it up." he sat down and urged Percy to open it.

Percy did, with slight reservation. He was shocked to find a hard backed copy of 'Animal Farm', he had loved this book as a child, it was one of the few things his father had ever given solely to him. He had read it to him sometimes, until Percy could read himself. He blinked back tears and turned to Bill with the hint of a smile on his face. "Thank you… I… I always meant to buy it again, but…"

Bill pulled him into a half hug with a sad smile. He remembered well the day Percy had lost that book. They had all been home, the twins had just started Hogwarts, it was Christmas and Percy had been reading his book, the twins had been running around and had knocked into him. The book had flown into the fire. Percy had ranted and raved at them for hours, but he had never let on just how upset he had really been. But Bill had heard his mother tell his father that Percy had cried himself to sleep that night.

"Do you want some Hot Chocolate?" Bill asked softly.

Percy nodded, distracted.

"Ok, come out to the living room, you can read some of that book to me for a while, ok?" Bill said as he made his way to the door, he glanced back, Percy was watching him with wide eyes. Bill smiled. "Yeah Perce, I do like to hear stories sometimes you know." He left the room with a small laugh.

Percy looked at the book, the simple charcoal drawing of a farm with all the animals quickly sketched on. Exactly the same cover that the battered copy his father had gotten him had. He looked up at the now empty doorway and he smiled to himself, got up and brought the book with him out to the living room to sit with Bill.

Two days passed in relative peace, Percy was eating more, and he had read the book five times since he had opened it, but every evening he and Bill sat on Bills comfortable sofa and Percy read aloud from it, his eyes stealing over to Bill occasionally, ready to stop at the merest hint Bill was bored. But Bill sat, his cheek resting on his hand, watching him intently.

They were just finishing up for the evening when there was a muffled thud in the fireplace, Bill turned with a frown, and Percy very nearly fell off the seat in shock. But it was only Charlie who stepped out, waving away the little cloud of soot that had followed him out and peering at Bill.

"You called?" he asked with a frown, then he saw Percy, and his jaw dropped. "Percy?!" he cried, shock very clear in his voice.

"Yes, that is what I wanted to talk to you about Charlie." Bill said quickly, he turned to Percy. "Perce, could you go make some tea while I explain to Charlie please."

Percy nodded, his head lowered and he went to the kitchen, taking his book with him. Bill watched him go until the kitchen door swung shut before turning back to Charlie, and he almost laughed at the comical sight his brother was, covered in soot, his mouth hanging open.

"You'll let the flies in Charlie." He warned.

With some difficulty, Charlie closed his mouth. "What is he doing here Bill-after everything he's done! Why is he here?" his eyes narrowed, his voice low.

"He's here because he needs help Charlie, sit down, this could take a while." Bill gestured him to a seat. Charlie sat and Bill explained in shortened terms everything from the letters to Percy's breakdown three days ago. Charlie listened with a face that went from suspicious, to shocked, to furious, to a softer look Bill could remember from every time Charlie had ever dealt with any of their younger siblings.

"And Fudge did that?" he asked, his tone murderous.

"Yes. I've contacted Filius, you remember him, short blond guy in my year?" Bill asked. Charlie nodded slowly. "Yeah, well he's a lawyer, I should be hearing back from him tomorrow or the next day. So don't go charging into the ministry and punching Fudge-though the bastard deserves it!" Bill swore.

Charlie nodded. "So what do you want me to do, tell the rest of the family?"

Bill shook his head. "No, if they knew they would crowd him. He needs time to adjust Charlie. All I need from you is a promise that if I've got to go away for a while, which is likely because I'm taking this to trial, and suing that asshole for all he's got, I need somebody who can make sure Percy's ok without smothering him."

Charlie nodded slowly. "Yeah, mum would do that wouldn't she. Yeah, fine Bill, I'll do it if the need arises. God, Bill… how could something like that happen to Percy?" he asked.

Bill shrugged helplessly.

The kitchen door swung open and Percy came out with a tray, he carried it over awkwardly and set it on the little table in front of the sofa. Charlie stood up. Percy moved back, ready to get out of his way, ready for rejection.

What he wasn't prepared for was Charlie dragging him into a hug and whispering. "I am so sorry Percy. I've been a terrible big brother!"

Percy stood frozen in the embrace for a moment before relaxing and letting his thin arms snake around Charlie's back.

Bill looked on and smiled softly.


	3. Chapter 3

_Chapter 3_

Three days had passed since Charlie's visit. Percy had finished reading Bill Animal Farm, which was just as well considering that Banquo had returned from Filius Mac Goth; baring a short crisp note to come to his office as soon as he was able, and bring any and all evidence with him so he could get a feel for the case.

Bill had quickly penned a note to Filius explaining he would be there as soon as he could get Percy settled elsewhere, namely at Charlie's, explaining that he didn't want to drag his brother in until he was feeling better.

He fire talked to Charlie, made sure Percy was ok with the arrangements. Ignoring his feeble protests that he didn't have to go to all the trouble, the lawyer, the arrangements, that he could just go stay in his old flat. Bill had squashed that idea completely flat, and three days after that Bill and Percy were stepping out of Charlie's fireplace, carrying Percy's meagre belongings.

"You'll be all right Perce, right? I won't be gone long, a week, maybe two." Bill said, anxious. Like he was leaving a child alone for the first time.

"I think I can take care of him Bill." Charlie said with a smile.

Bill smiled. "I know, I know, I just worry." He ruffled Percy's hair playfully. "But you'll be ok, right Perce?"

Percy nodded.

Bill pulled him into a hug for a long moment. Then Charlie. "Make him feel wanted Charlie." He whispered into his ear. Charlie nodded and pulled away.

"Get on Bill or you might never leave." Charlie laughed, pushing his older brother towards the fireplace.

Percy gave a wave as Bill disappeared.

After showing Percy his room, Charlie talked inanely for over an hour about anything and everything he could think of to make Percy feel comfortable. Finally, he came to a point he wasn't entirely sure of.

"Perce." He began, waiting for Percy to look over. "I have to go to work tomorrow, I… I would take time off if I could, but we're short staffed as it is. Do you want to come along or would you prefer to stay here?" he asked, after all, Percy had always been a more indoor person if he wasn't completely mistaken.

Percy shrugged, unsure.

Charlie smiled gently. "Oh come on, I know your just dying to see where your big brother works."

Percy's lips curved slightly upwards in response. "Um… ok, if you don't mind."

"Mind?" Charlie said. "You'll be my first little brother to see my Dragons."

Percy looked away to hide a smile.

Charlie smiled again, but there was a hint of sadness to it. He missed the old confident Percy.

xxx

Charlie's eyes scanned the compound for Percy, it had been four days since Bill had gone to England to bring Fudge to justice for harassment against Percy; Charlie had been keeping a very close eye on his little brother.

It frightened him that Percy had become so shy and submissive in their years apart. Even after it had been broadcasted that Voldermort had returned, Percy had not come back to them, which had deepened the divide even further. Charlie had been angry with Percy for it, but after what Bill had told him, about how Fudge had started harassing Percy in that year, even before that, and so, by the time the new had spread Percy was well beneath Fudge's manipulative thumb.

Charlie finally spotted the bright red hair of his brother, he was thin, far too thin in Charlie's opinion, but if what Bill had said was true, he had barely been eating or sleeping, working all the hours of the day.

Charlie's eyes narrowed angrily, Fudge deserved life in Azkaban for what he had done to Percy. He frowned as he saw one of his co-workers approach Percy, saw Percy tense. Charlie watched the scene carefully, but the man did nothing but talk, but Percy didn't relax until he was alone again.

Finally, Charlie turned back to his work. A number of hours later he glanced up to find Percy leaning lightly against the rails watching him.

"Ok Perce?" he asked quietly.

Percy nodded and continued watching.

"Do you want to come and stroke one, they won't bite, I promise."

Percy looked thoughtful before shaking his head.

"Ok, give me half an hour and I should be done, and we can go home."

Percy nodded.

_Half an hour later_

"Charlie! Hey man! You coming for a drink?" one of his colleagues shouted.

Charlie smiled and put an arm round Percy's shoulders. "No, I'm spending some quality time with my little brother!"

Percy looked up at him, startled, Charlie felt a stab of guilt for all the times he had brushed his little brother off in the past.

"You don't have to." Percy whispered.

"I want to." Charlie said with a reassuring smile, pulling him close for a quick half hug.

They flooed to Charlie's small flat. "Right-what do you want for dinner?" he had been trying to stick to home cooked meals; it said a lot more that ordering takeout would.

Percy shrugged, and watched as Charlie busied himself round the kitchen, a question bouncing round in his head. "Charlie..?"

"Yes Perce?" Charlie asked.

"Do… do you remember the year you were in third year?" Percy asked shyly. "That summer… when… when you taught the twins how to draw?"

Charlie paused, thinking back. "Hmm? Yes, why?"

Percy's voice became a whisper. "Why didn't you teach me?"

Charlie froze, confused and a bit concerned. "Did you ask me to?"

"Yes." Percy breathed.

Charlie thought back and found he couldn't remember. "Remind me Perce, I can't remember."

Percy complied, but his voice was soft and stuttering. "You were outside with the twins, showing them. I… I was interested, but I didn't want to disturb you, so I waited until the twins went to play and I went up to you. You… you smiled and asked me what I wanted… I… I almost didn't say it… I didn't want to be a bother… but I asked you, and you said you would, and I sat down and you were just about to… I think… but Bill came out and asked you if you wanted to play with him. You were anxious to play; I could see it, so when you asked if we could do it later I said fine."

Percy took a deep, steadying breath. "I was going to ask you after dinner, but the twins were back and you were showing them. So I waited, I though maybe you would teach me when the twins weren't there-but you didn't…"

"Why didn't you call me on it Perce-I forgot…" it was a lame excuse, but he could think of nothing to rid Percy's voice of that childlike disappointment.

"I didn't want to get in the way, and you were happy showing the twins, and then playing chess with Bill. I didn't want to spoil your night."

"And what about the next day?" Charlie asked, his heart was breaking at the look of dejection on his brother's face. He didn't let Percy answer; he moved forward and gathered him up. "I wouldn't have been angry Perce--never. I promised you I'd teach you and I didn't. I'm sorry." He began to stroke Percy's hair, he remembered the incident now, how Percy had seemed so happy during dinner, but as the evening progressed, he had withdrawn away from the family, reading his book again.

How could he have forgotten?

He hugged Percy close. "It's almost twenty years late, but do you want me to teach you?"

Percy froze, looking down. "Would you?"

Charlie smiled. "Of course."

They spent the evening drawing, mostly dragons as Charlie only seemed to have pictures of them around. To Charlie's surprise Percy was actually a fairly good artist already. They spent the evening as brothers, like they should have done almost twenty years before.


	4. Chapter 4

_Chapter 4_

Four days later at the Dragon Reserve Charlie and the other workers had their hands full with an injured male Horntail that had just come in. some rouge trader had tried to skin it's tail, some of its scales and skin had been ripped off. The pain had made the dragon wild and the workers were having a hard time calming it down enough to treat it.

Percy leaned against the railing, watching them. Charlie had ordered him to stay a safe distance away from the dragon. So Percy watched, feeling a certain empathy with the dragon, hurt by someone simply for being who he was.

"You ok Perce?"

Percy jumped and turned. "Bill?"

"The very same." Bill smiled. "So what's going on?"

Percy looked back at the dragon. "It's hurt, they can't calm it down."

Bill nodded, glancing down to spot Charlie, then back to Perce, studying him. He seemed more relaxed, healthier. Charlie must have been feeding him up.

Percy straightened suddenly.

Bill frowned. "Perce?" he asked, reaching out.

Percy frowned deeply, staring straight at the dragon. They weren't doing it right. He quickly climbed over the railing and slid down the embankment.

"Percy!" Bill yelled, his fingers having just brushed Percy's clothes as he moved.

Charlie heard Bill's shout and glanced up, and froze when he saw Percy coming towards them and the thrashing Dragon. "Damnit Perce!" he ground out, starting towards his brother quickly.

"Hold up there Charlie!" the owner of the reserve, Vlad, said, catching his arm and pulling him back.

"That's my brother Vlad! The dragon will kill him! He's not trained!" Charlie snapped, pulling out of the grip.

Vlad grabbed him again. "Look Charlie, look at the Dragon!"

Charlie looked, only now realising that the pained wails of the dragon had eased to loud rumbling whimpers. Percy had come to stand far to close to the dragon, not even very skilled dragon tamers went that close to an injured dragon unless it was full restrained, and this dragon was anything but.

Percy stared up at the dragon. Everything had frozen for a moment, as the dragon stared back. Then the great head lowered, and the body dropped. Charlie strained forward, Bill, at the bottom of the embankment remained frozen.

The dragons head lowered until it was resting on the ground right in front of Percy, still. Percy reached forward, stroked the yellowish brown horn on its nose, and smiled.

It took a few seconds before Vlad suddenly let Charlie go. "Right, everyone, get cracking, we won't have much time!" and everyone quickly went to work restraining and healing the dragon.

Charlie bolted over to Percy, stopped cautiously just out of range of the dragon, not wanting to startle it into hurting his brother. "Percy, come here. Now!" he hissed anxiously.

Percy turned his head, saw the anger on Charlie's face and lowered his head. Giving the dragon a last pat, he turned and went to Charlie. Charlie grabbed his arm and dragged him over to Bill, far away from the dragon.

"What the hell did you think you were doing, you could have been killed! I told you to stay up there for a reason- Damnit Perce, what in the name of Merlin was going through your head!" Charlie ranted.

Percy continued to look at the ground.

Bill slowly blinked his way out of his shock.

"Perce--you could have died!" Charlie repeated. "Does that mean nothing--for Merlin's sake it's a dragon--you do not go up to a dragon like that! That was… it was… aghh!"

Bill looked at Percy, and put a hand on Charlie's shoulder to stop him. "Perce." He said when Charlie had quietened. Percy glanced up, ashamed. "Why did you do that?" he asked quietly, calmly.

"I… I had to… I just felt like I could do it…" he looked down, glancing over to the dragon, still lying as he had left it.

"Good thing to." Vlad smiled, joining them. "The tail is worse than we thought it was, any longer and we might have had to amputate it."

"Shit." Charlie muttered.

"Thanks kid, you did a good job, have you ever worked with dragons before?" Vlad asked Percy.

Percy shook his head, moving slightly closer to Bill.

Vlad looked very interested in that response, but left it at that. "Charlie, can I talk to you a minute?" he motioned they move away.

"Sure, Bill, take him back to my place, I'll be back when I can. Get him to show you his art." Charlie said, wanting to get Percy away before something like this happened again and gave him a heart attack for sure.

Bill nodded and took Percy's arm and led him away from the dragon.

"Yeah?" Charlie asked, coming to stand beside Vlad.

"He's good. He's got a natural talent with them. Not just anyone can calm an injured horntail like that. Charlie, I want you to sound him out for a job. I realise there's some issues with him, like you said before, but just sound him out, it would do the reserve good if we could have a tamer of that calibre here." Vlad said.

Charlie shook his head. "But he's… Vlad, he'd need to go through training and everything, and what if-"

"Trial by fire Charlie, almost literally. Look I realise there's the whole issue that he's your brother, but I want to give it a go. Just sound him out for me Charlie; I want him on the team." Vlad smiled. "I'm not saying he has to start immediately, after all there is that family matter you mentioned, but as soon as he can."

"Ok, I'll ask. But for the record, I don't like it." Charlie sighed.

"Good boy. Now come over here and let's get this dragon sorted." Vlad smiled.

Charlie followed. He really didn't like the idea of Percy being a dragon tamer, there were too many things that could happen that could either kill or maim him. He would be much happier with Percy in a nice safe office job… but that had proved just as dangerous in the long run, maybe worse. So Charlie would ask. But not yet, not until he knew what was going to happen about Fudge.

He arrived home two hours later to find Bill flipping through the art pad Charlie had bought for Percy, it was filled with pictures of the dragons at the reserve. Bill looked up. "Hey Charlie, Percy's making dinner, I think he's trying to make it up to you for earlier. Go talk to him Charlie, he's scared that you're really angry with him."

Charlie sighed. "I will, in a second. How'd it go with the lawyer?"

"It's going to trial, the date should come through in a little while, a week or two at most Filius said. It should be after Christmas, which is good, because I want him to have a nice Christmas before the shit starts." Bill smiled wryly. "I don't want to put him through it Charlie, but…"

"We need to get the bastard Bill, you know we do. I don't like the idea of Percy having to talk about what happened, but it's for the best, right?" Charlie looked over to the kitchen door and sighed. "I'd better go talk to him." He made his way over to the kitchen and pushed open the door.

Percy was standing by the cooker, hugging himself and watching the flames lick round the bottom of the pot.

"Hey Perce." Charlie said softly, coming to stand beside him.

Percy didn't look at him. "I'm sorry Charlie." He mumbled.

"Perce, I'm not really angry with you, it was just… well, I don't like the idea of you doing things that are dangerous, and that dragon could have killed you Perce, I just… Damnit, look, I'm sorry for yelling ok. I shouldn't have, you just scared me Perce." Charlie snaked an arm round Percy's shoulders and gave him a half hug, and peered into the pot. "So what're ya making?" he asked.

In the other room, Bill continued to flip through the art pad. He stopped at a picture, he had forgotten it even existed, he thought it had been destroyed when their first house had burned down during the first war. Maybe Charlie had it somewhere in the house, he would have to check--otherwise Percy had a photographic memory.

It was the three eldest Weasely boys, aged 10, 9 and 4, the year before Bill was to start Hogwarts; they had been down to the beach, one of the Weasely family holidays they took every summer. Bill and Charlie had just thrown Percy into the sea, and he had come back ashore, grabbed some wet sand and put it on their heads, just as the picture was taken.

Bill smiled. After that, Bill had been too caught up in school and quiddich to pay much attention to Percy. It was the picture of the last time he could really remember them being happy and together like a family.


	5. Chapter 5

_Chapter 5_

Charlie looked up as Bill stepped out of the Fireplace; he smiled at the bewildered expression on his older brother's face. The look said, very, very plainly. 'I've been to see mum to tell her I'm not coming home for Christmas this year and just got asked a million questions most of which were about the 'pretty young girl' I'm apparently going out with that's keeping me away from home and worst of all she asked me when she was going to have her first grandchild!' Charlie snickered softly and put down his book. "Have fun then?"

Bill blinked and looked at him. "Next time you are going to tell her."

"She gave you the speech then?" Charlie said, trying to keep a straight face.

"Oh yeah-I am never telling her I'm not coming home for a holiday again-why is she always picking on me for grandchildren, why not you, or the twins?" Bill asked, collapsing onto the sofa, obviously exhausted from his talk with their mother.

"You're her last hope Bill; I'm practically married to my job-the twins… well… I don't think they should be allowed to have kids; Percy's out the equation altogether; Ron is never going to get round to asking Hermione out, so that's out, and Ginny-well Ginny's too obsessed with Harry and Harry's too obsessed with himself really, so you're it Bill."

"But I don't even have a girlfriend!" Bill complained.

"Aww buck up Billy boy, it'll turn out ok, you'll find one just for you eventually." Charlie grinned.

Bill rolled his eyes and looked round the nicely decorated room. "Where's Perce?"

Charlie's grin softened and slipped. "He's digging out Christmas decorations for the tree, he needed something to do, he's been flighty all day, I think you should go talk to him Bill, I can't, I'd probably make things worse."

Bill turned to him with a frown. "How could you possibly make things worse?" he asked, surprised.

Charlie shrugged. "You know what I'm like Bill, I can never say the right thing, and I'm afraid I might set him back, you know. It's like walking on eggshells really, you've always got to think three moves ahead, and I never was much good at chess." He sighed. "You always were better at talking to him anyway."

Bill blinked, he hadn't realised just how hard this might be for Charlie, his brother had always just come out and said things without thinking, Charlie was honest sometimes to a fault, for him to have to stop and think about the reactions to what he said would be difficult to say the least. He reached over, pulled him into a half hug, and smiled reassuringly. "I'll go talk to Percy, ok?"

Charlie smiled back and nodded. "Yeah."

Bill got up and went in search of Percy, pausing only for a second to look back at Charlie, hearing the heavy sigh, watching his brother pick up the book he had been reading. Fudge was going to pay for this. But back to the more immediate problem of Percy.

He found him, ironically, in the hall closet rooting through a box of Christmas decorations. He knocked on the open door and leaned against it, watching him with a slight smile. "Hey Perce, you ok?"

Percy looked up, startled, then down again and he shrugged.

Bill tensed, Percy was withdrawing, what in the hell had happened-maybe Charlie had said something without realising. Damn. He hunkered down beside Percy. "Perce, what's wrong? Did something happen while I was out?"

Percy shook his head, pulling his hands out of the box he had been looking in to twist them together on his lap-he looked like a child waiting to be punished. "Percy." Bill said softly, reaching out he covered his brother's thin hands with his own, stopping the twisting. Percy looked up at him and there was a raw pain in his eyes Bill had never seen before. Without thinking, Bill pulled Percy towards him and into a firm hug.

When he finally pulled back minutes later, he studied Percy's face again. "Percy, what's the matter, come on, tell me." He said urgently.

Percy took a deep breath and pulled away further, looking down. "You should go h. h. home for c.chris.christmas." he stammered out finally.

Bill nearly overbalanced backwards at the words. "What?" he asked finally.

"You should go-" Percy began very quietly.

"I know what you said Perce, I want to know what you meant-you know I'm spending Christmas with you and I don't think you're ready to go home yet." Bill said softly, they had had this conversation a dozen times; he and Charlie were staying with Percy for Christmas, granted Percy hadn't agreed or disagreed with the arrangement, but both Bill and Charlie agreed that bringing Percy home in his current fragile state could prove disastrous. "Do you want to go home Percy?" Bill asked quietly, maybe this was it.

Percy actually flinched away when he said that and a look of abject terror crossed his face in a flash. "I can't go there, I can't go back!"

"Why not Percy, it's your home too, mum and dad would be glad to have you home. If you want to go we can go home for Christmas, you know we can." Bill said, fighting his shock.

Percy shook his head; his eyes were wet with tears again. "No they wouldn't they hate me-after everything I've done… am… how can they ever want me back… I don't want them to hate me.. I. I. I never wanted them to hate me Bill, never ever, ever!" he was babbling, his words tumbling over each other, but Bill heard them, and they shocked him more.

He had found it; the root of the problem, after this he just knew Percy would get better, once they cleared this up things would be looking up. "Percy, why did you leave home-it wasn't about You Know Who was it?" he had sussed this out himself, but it seemed Percy needed to get this out of his system.

Percy shook his head slowly.

"Tell me Perce."

"I had to go Bill… I had to leave before they found out… before they…" he stopped and drew in a shuddering breath, the heel of one hand digging into each eye in turn to get rid of the tears. "If they ever found out they'd hate me Bill… I didn't want to, I swear I didn't want to, but F. Fudge said he'd tell them if I didn't do what he said, I didn't want them to be hurt… so I… I didn't want them to hate me… so I... I…" he trailed off, his shoulders shook with the effort it took to keep his emotions inside.

"So you what Percy?" Bill knew what Percy was trying to say, but he needed to hear it, and Percy needed to say it.

Percy took another shuddering breath. "I didn't want them to be hurt by what I am… so I made them hate me for something else… I had that big fight with dad, I didn't want to… but just the thought… if he knew what I was… if Fudge told him… dad would be… he'd be… he'd hate me… and mum, she's always wanted… she… and I… I was stupid and selfish and… but I didn't want them to say they didn't want me Bill." He looked up at him, eyes shining with tears, brimming over with unfathomable hurt and fear, the fear he would lose his family.

Bill blinked back his own tears and swallowed the lump in his throat, but he wasn't quite able to manage it, he couldn't speak, couldn't make the words come out. Ragged breathing behind him alerted him that Charlie had joined them and heard it all. He moved instinctively as Charlie pushed into the closet and wrapped his arms tightly around Percy.

"Never Percy, never, never, never." Charlie whispered. "How could we have made you that insecure…" he pulled back and looked at Percy. "They would never have hated you Percy, never. They always wanted you to come back, every day Percy, every single day." He couldn't say anything past that; he just pulled Percy back to him.

Bill looked on; pride mingled with his tears, Charlie had nothing to worry about anymore with Percy. They wouldn't be going home for Christmas, they wouldn't be going home until Percy was ready, but this Christmas was all about family.

And finally, the elusive _'a word in the right ear'_ made perfect sense.


	6. Chapter 6

_Chapter 6_

Egypt, the land of sun, sand and more sand, but Bill loved it, he always had, there was never a particular reason behind it-it was the same way Charlie could never explain his love for Dragons. It just was. And now he was back. Christmas had been tough; it was most definitely the most emotional time of year. It had been a challenge and no mistake--the amount of talking it took to convince Percy to keep the trademark Weasely jumper was an adventure in itself, and through it brought more of Percy's insecurities to life. But in the end he was better for it.

Bill glanced over to the aforementioned brother, seated on the chair, and curled up, reading a book, wrapping his fingers round the lovingly knitted jumper. He smiled. Percy had come back to Egypt with him, Charlie had been disappointed, but at the same time relieved, he wouldn't have to worry about Percy getting to close to the dragons again. Percy was considering the job offer, and from the way he always carried that little moving dragon model Charlie had got him for Christmas around with him the decision wasn't going to be hard.

Bill turned his attention back to his notes. He was supposed to start training a new curse breaker who was coming up from Romania tomorrow. He frowned--why would they even need a curse breaker in Romania? It wasn't like they had pyramids or anything there. Finally, he closed the file and stuffed it down the side of the sofa. The slight disapproving frown he got from Percy made him smile, Percy's compulsive cleaning habits had always amused him, which had been why finding him in that messy disgusting hovel had shocked him so.

"Right, it's bedtime for me I think, I have to up bright and early in the morning." Bill smiled; he was on his way to his room when he paused. "Perce, do you want to meet me for lunch tomorrow afternoon, it would do you good to get out of the house for a while."

Percy looked over at him, his eyes showed his hesitation before he finally nodded and dropped his head. "Ok Bill."

Bill smiled.

The next day lunch rolled around quickly, Percy turned up at Gringotts and sat nervously in the waiting area, watching out for Bill. After ten minutes waiting, he saw him and got up, and started towards him. He stopped when he saw Bill was walking with someone else. He drew in a quick and startled breath when he saw who he was walking with.

"Percy!" Bill called with a smile when he saw his brother. He took in Percy's shocked features and glanced at his companion, his new apprentice. "Perce?" his apprentice seemed to have the same surprised look on his face. "You two know each other?"

Percy managed a short nod.

"Percy Weasely?" the astonished Scottish accent wove through the air. "When Bill said he was meeting a brother for lunch I never expected it to be you-I thought you were working with the ministry, are you on holiday?"

Percy stiffened at the mention of the ministry.

"Oliver, could you maybe not mention that place?" Bill asked quietly.

Oliver Wood glanced from one Weasely brother to the other and nodded. "Sorry Perce, it's just that you're the last person I expected to see here. It's great to see you again." He stuck out his hand and smiled warmly. A concerned frown crinkling his brow when Percy ducked his head and pulled away. Oliver shot a confused look at Bill who just shook his head. "Right, maybe I should go then. Em, are there any good places to eat round here?" he asked Bill, but watching Percy.

Bill glanced between the two and a cunning plan flitted into his mind-Percy did need someone else to talk to. "Come with us, the place we're going to has the nicest stuff around." He ignored Percy's frightened look.

Oliver caught that look though. "Maybe that wouldn't be such a good idea." He said quietly.

"Nonsense, you can tell me how you and Percy know each other." Bill smiled.

Percy sighed, resigned.

Oliver looked at each of them uncomfortably. "Emm… well…"

"Great, it's settled then." He flung and arm around the two of them and led them out into the street.

Lunch was a strained affair, Bill did most of the talking, Oliver did most of the answering, and Percy added things only if he couldn't get out of a question with a mere nod or shake of his head. But Bill noticed things, like the way Percy kept looking at Oliver, when he spoke, that little red tinge on the tips of Percy's ears confirmed his thoughts, and when he was talking, Oliver kept his eyes trained on Percy, as if willing him to communicate. There was a very genuine caring in the way Oliver looked at Percy, and it was that which sealed it.

Bill was going to make it his mission to get the two of them to become the best of friends, if it developed further, well, that was something he had to think on, but yes, friends, he would make sure they became friends. He smiled.

Later that day, during a short break Bill turned to Oliver with a smile. "How about you come over to my house tomorrow evening, Percy's quite the cook when he sets his mind to it, think of it as a welcome to Egypt."

Oliver turned to him with some surprise. "I wouldn't have thought you'd want me around next time Percy's there, I don't think he's particularly happy to see me."

"Percy's been through a very rough time since the war, he's not recovered yet." Bill said vaguely.

Oliver's eyes widened. "Did something happen to him during the war--I mean, I know we were out of touch for an age and a half, but I would have heard something--what happened?" Oliver asked.

Bill smiled, yes; Oliver was definitely the right sort of friend for Percy. "A lot happened him, before the war, during it and after, it's being sorted now, but he's very… fragile I suppose you could say. He'll be all right; he just needs some good friends right now."

"Was it the…" Oliver glanced around and lowered his voice. "Deatheater's."

Bill grimaced a little, but shook his head. "No, it was something a little closer to home."

Oliver's eyes widened almost comically. "The ministry--that's why he…" he trailed off.

Bill nodded. "Yes. But you'll come over; I'll see if Percy can cook something Scottish for you."

Oliver laughed, it was a little strained as he was still thinking, but he didn't disagree. "Sure, I'll come over."

"Good, good." Bill smiled. Perhaps not the most tactful way to go about it, but it had worked; Oliver was willing to be a friend to Percy. Now all he had to do was get Percy to agree.

xxx

Percy hadn't said a thing for twenty minutes, hadn't answered any of Bills questions, just sat there with his hands bunching up his jumper.

"Come on Perce, what's wrong with being friends with him? Weren't you friends in school?" Bill asked. He knew the real reason, but he wanted Percy to say it.

Finally, Percy looked up. Chewing his bottom lip in concentration. "I… I… its difficult Bill." He said finally.

"How?"

"Because I… I… like him." Percy said, his voice dropping to a whisper.

Bill checked a smile. "Really? Well I don't see why not, he's a very likable guy."

"Not in that way Bill." Percy said urgently.

"Oh, you mean you _like him_? I never would have guessed."

Percy looked at him. "You knew?"

"The way you blushed during lunch was a dead giveaway Perce."

Percy looked horrified. "Oh, nonononononononononononononononono! If you noticed then he… oh no!"

"Percy, Perce, calm down." Bill said softly, a faint smile still playing on his lips. "It's ok. Perce, he wants to be your friend."

"You didn't tell him about…?" Percy looked at him pleadingly.

"No, I didn't, I just told him you were having some problems." Bill replied.

Percy's eyes widened, almost as comically as Oliver's earlier. "Oh no! Now he probably thinks I'm a weak pathetic-"

"Percy!" Bill snapped.

Percy stopped and looked down. "Sorry."

"Actually, he was worried about you Perce. Give him a chance, you never know." Bill smiled again; he got up, pausing to squeeze Percy's shoulder before leaving the room.

Percy sat alone in the room for a while, thinking over what Bill had said. He and Oliver had never been the best of friends, but being the only boys in their house at Hogwarts had sort of forced them into an alliance of sorts, and he wouldn't really mind talking with Oliver. A blush slowly coloured his cheeks as he thought.

In the other room Bill smiled as he penned a letter to Charlie, this could prove very interesting. Of course he would have to make sure of Oliver before anything went too far, he wasn't about to let anything hurt his little brother again.


	7. Chapter 7

_Chapter 7_

Once the silence had been successfully overcome, which had happened after dinner that next night after Bill had discreetly taken himself off on the pretence of making tea and Oliver had gotten Percy talking about whether or not Snape and Trelawney had been in a relationship while they were at school. Percy was adamant they had not been of course, while Oliver enthusiastically put forward all his 'evidence'. Bill had to stifle his laughter a few times as he listened--but thinking about it, Snape and Trelawney had been awfully close when he had been in school--it sounded… interesting.

But once the awkwardness between them was gone, it became quite the task to get Oliver to leave at all. Not that he was ever impolite, or stayed to hours that were past respectable, but he was always coming over, not that Bill minded too much, he hadn't seen Percy smile as much as he had in that one week.

But things were moving a little to fast. Oliver had wrangled a promise from Percy to go out to see a movie with him, and Bill wasn't entirely sure about how he felt letting his little brother go out somewhere with a man he didn't know accepted gay wizards--if something happened and Oliver turned nasty it would be so much harder to bring Percy back. Which was one of the two reasons he had decided to bring up the subject with Oliver.

The other reason being that the date for the trial was set. Percy would have to go back to England to testify, there was no way round it.

"Bill." Oliver said quietly, looking over at the eldest Weasely.

Bill started slightly; he had been staring at his tea, trying to come up with a way to tactfully broach the subject. "Yes?"

"I know this might seem rude, but what exactly is wrong with Percy--he's just so different from how I remember him in school. What could have happened that was bad enough to make him so…" he trailed off, not really knowing how to phrase it.

Bill studied him, it was genuine concern he read in his face, he took a deep breath. "Oliver--what do you think of homosexuality?"

Oliver looked startled for a minute, blinking in confusion-then he blushed. A sight Bill would have found highly amusing had Percy's well-being not hung in the answer.

"I didn't think I was being _that_ obvious." He muttered.

Bill blinked. "What?"

"That was a trick question wasn't it?" Oliver asked quietly. "Why--what do you think about it?"

Bill blinked again. "I have absolutely nothing against it--now would you care to explain to me what you just meant?"

The second he saw Oliver's relieved expression it all connected and he smiled in his own relief. "You're gay."

Oliver nodded slowly. "Em… yes… I was going to bring it up at some point; I mean I wasn't just going to start--trying--to date your brother without letting you know. Though I'm not exactly sure if he's--well, you know, which is why I wanted to know what happened to him, to see if it would--I don't know--traumatise him if I said anything and-"

"Oliver." Bill said kindly, with a chuckle. "You're babbling." A weight had most certainty been lifted off his shoulders. "So you have a crush on my baby brother?" he asked, making Oliver blush again. "Well that's ok--because he _likes_ you too."

Oliver looked up with a wide smile. "Really?"

"Yep." Then Bill's smiled faded. "Oliver, listen to me, don't rush in please--Percy's been through a lot and he's just recovering."

"What happened to him." Oliver asked.

Bill told him, vaguely, what happened, and a thunderous expression crossed Oliver's face.

"How could anybody do something like that? And to Percy! He always took things so seriously in school--no wonder--that Bastard! I hope you're bringing him down--or better yet have you punched him yet?"

Ah, so the punching Fudge's lights out was not limited to merely the two eldest Weasley brothers apparently.

"It's going to trial in a month; Percy will have to go sooner to give a statement."

Oliver's expression softened. "That's going to be tough."

"Yeah." Bill sighed.

They sat in silence for a while.

"So it's ok if I date him then?" Oliver asked finally, fidgeting with his mug.

Bill bit back a chuckle. "I suppose--as long as you take it slow--have him home by eleven and don't make him do anything he isn't very comfortable with." He said, half in jest.

Oliver caught the warning in his words and nodded gravely-he understood-if he hurt Percy, Bill, and probably the rest of the Weasely clan, plus honorary Weasely's would grind him into dust--not a happy prospect. Lucky thing he had no intention of hurting Percy.

xxx

Oliver turned up at Bill's at half seven, Charlie had stopped over to talk with Bill, so the two of them were in the living room when Oliver arrived, Percy was still in his room, probably thinking of what to wear. Bill got up with a smile once Oliver was seated.

"I'll go see what's keeping Percy." He said, trading a smirk with Charlie, which made Oliver distinctly nervous.

Once Bill was gone, Charlie turned to Oliver, a very serious expression on his face. "So, I've been told that you want to date my little brother. Now, seeing as our father is not here to give you a little talk on the rules of dating a Weasley, I will. Now I don't know what Bill has told you, but I will make this very, very clear, if you do not get Percy home by eleven o'clock, or his clothes are rumpled, his hair mussed up or his cheeks flushed I will take it upon myself to personally rip you from limb to limb. However, if he comes home in anyway upset with how you treated him I will do so much worse--do you understand me?"

Oliver was frozen to his seat, searching Charlie's eyes for some hint of a joke, but he looked deadly serious. He swallowed hard and nodded--he would have definitely preferred talking with Bill.

Charlie's serious expression barely held out long enough to get the nod before he started laughing, catching Oliver by complete surprise. "You should have seen your face! At least I know I haven't lost my touch!" he said between chuckles.

"Charlie, stop scaring the poor boy. You two have fun." Bill said with a grin, waving Percy towards the door. Oliver practically jumped off the sofa and out the door, dragging Percy behind him. Bill fell onto the sofa Oliver had vacated and laughed. "What did you say to him?"

"I just told him what I'd do if Percy was late." Charlie smiled.

Bill shook his head. "That boy has no fashion sense. I mean, honestly, I bought him a whole new wardrobe and he manages to pick clothes that don't match--so much for the famed gay fashion sense." He sighed. "I think it should be you Charlie." He said, returning to their conversation from before Oliver had arrived.

"But it would sound better coming from you Bill, and you know she won't listen to me when I say she shouldn't come." Charlie said plaintively.

"Charlie, look, I just can't deal with mum and Percy. All you have to do is tell them about the trial, that's all, please Charlie, that's all I'm asking, just tell mum and dad about the trial. Don't even tell them what it's about, just tell them."

"We'll have to tell them what it's about Bill; we can't just let it be a shock to them if they hear it in the papers or something."

"Damnit you're right." Bill groaned. "We need to come up with a way to tell them that will stop them coming to visit; I just know Percy will lose it if they all arrive at once demanding to know what's happened."

Charlie could see the strain his brother was going through and he sighed. Leaning forwards, he squeezed Bills knee, the nearest part of his brother he could reach. "I'll figure out something Bill. Maybe you should get some sleep, you've been stressing over this since you heard haven't you?"

Bill nodded wearily. "Between trying to get Percy better and the trial. Charlie, I know we've talked about it, but I don't think he'll handle this as well as he keeps pretending he will. I just don't know. Maybe I'm doing the wrong thing taking this to trial, maybe I should have just left it."

Charlie stared at him like he had three heads, his face taking on a slight red tinge from anger. "Don't you dare back out of this Bill!" he snapped. "What that Bastard did was sick and disgusting and her needs to be punished, and if you just dropped this he would win and Percy would just keep on being afraid. I don't want that, you don't want that and he doesn't want that, that's why he agreed to testify Bill. Bill please, I know this is getting to you, but we have to go through with it, for Percy. If we don't he's going to be afraid to be himself forever, he needs to know there are people like him, who support him, and he won't get it if we let it go. You know I'm right Bill."

"I know Charlie!" Bill yelled. "I know all that! I just don't want to see him go back to what he was--you weren't there when I found him Charlie! What that man did to him is worse than anything, but I don't know if I can go through hurting him all over again. I just don't know." He sagged back. "Some big brother I turned out to be, this is the second time I failed him Charlie."

Charlie darted over beside him, now very concerned. "Don't say things like that Bill, you haven't failed him, you're a great big brother, and Percy agrees, I know he does."

"No Charlie, I should have gone after him when he left-- after that argument with dad--I should have known something was really wrong. I shouldn't have let it drag on so long before I went to look for him. If he hadn't sent those letters I wouldn't be looking even now--he could be dead now…" he trailed off.

Charlie was shocked, never before had Bill said anything like this, Bill had never been unsure of himself before, it just wasn't like him, and Charlie had no clue how to comfort him. "But he's not Bill, he's not dead--he did send the letters. And we all should have known something was off about that argument. Bill come on, it wasn't your fault, share the blame here, it's my fault as well, it's the twins, its Ron's, its Ginny's, it's mum and dad's, but you know who's most to blame Bill?" Charlie asked, willing his brother to focus, willing him to be ok.

"Fudge." Bill whispered.

"Exactly, so it's him we bring down Bill, and then we can really start to make it up to Percy." Charlie finished softly.

Bill knew he was right, it was a lot of people's fault Percy had ended up where he was, but they couldn't make it up to him until they took care of Fudge. He managed a small smiled for Charlie, whose relief that Bill was back in charge was almost palpable.

"Ok." He said slowly. "So when are you going to tell mum?"

Charlie smiled, letting his breath go in relief.


	8. Chapter 8

_Chapter 8_

Percy flinched as the camera went off, flashing in his eyes suddenly, startling him. He hadn't even been inside, hadn't even seen Fudge yet. He inched closer to Bill, keeping his gaze fixed on the ground as he walked, relying on his brother to lead him away from the crowd.

Dread welled up inside him; he didn't want to be here, no matter what Bill said about not everybody being like Fudge. He really didn't want to be here anymore. At least Oliver and his family weren't here-when Bill had brought it up, the possibility that they might be there Percy had begged him to get them to stay away. So Charlie had explained it and they had promised not to come into the trial.

But Bill had seen a few red heads and he knew who they were, they may not go into the trial room, but they would be waiting outside. Charlie had told them, very basically, that Percy was gay, Fudge had abused his position on the subject and they were suing, nothing beyond that, but his family weren't stupid, they knew it was bad, they just didn't know how bad. They were going to wait until the trial was over, and then they would probably try and convince Percy to go home with them.

That was what Bill was most afraid of, after this Percy would be… for lack of a better word, shattered, he wouldn't be able to cope with the entire Weasely clan descending in force.

Bill pulled Percy away from the waves of reporters-he could easily feel his brothers fear. Ignoring the press, all of whom were asking the most outrageous questions about what the case was about, the details had been kept under a tight lid. But as with any legal case against an 'upstanding' citizen, and none other than the minister of magic the press was going to be sitting in on the trial. So the whole story would be in every paper by late afternoon.

And while he was greedily hoping Fudge would be very embarrassed by the press coverage he could foresee Percy being hurt a lot more. And that was something he didn't want. He half-wished Oliver was here with them, but he was waiting, very nervously in Bill's house, honouring his promise that he wouldn't come. Nothing had happened so far between them, but it was obviously on the cards, and pending the outcome of the trial held a lot of stock in when it was going to happen. Bill was impressed by his self-restraint really; it had been obvious he wanted to come along, if it had been him, or any of the other Weasely's they would have been there, regardless. Maybe it was good Percy had someone who honoured his wishes like that.

Bill steered Percy into the court, closely followed by Charlie and they took their seats at the front, watching the reporters taking notes.

-After the trial- (I am in way good enough to write a trial scene)

Bill shot a fiery glare at Fudge, his eyes narrowing to slits when the former minister of magic looked Percy up and down in disgust. With a hand on Percy's back he propelled him gently forwards and out of the court chamber, then Percy froze. Bill followed his gaze.

"Oh damn!" he snapped softly.

The whole family; their mother and father, Ron and Ginny were standing there, watching them, their expressions set in varying degrees of anger, shock, distress and in his mothers case, face hidden in hands, crying. Percy, of course, took it to mean the opposite of what it did and he started to shake worse than he had when he had been on the witness stand.

He looked so torn, like he didn't know whether to run or stand and take what he assumed was coming to him.

"Charlie, take him back to Oliver." Bill said quickly. "I'll be straight there after I sort things here."

Percy looked up at him, that childlike fear in his eyes made Bill want to march right up to Fudge and rip his head off. How dare that bastard get off so lightly--after everything he'd done how dare he!

Charlie gently tugged Percy's arm, pulling him away from the crowd--the reporters ignored them just them because Fudge had walked out and they were clamouring to get a statement, and over to a guarded fireplace designated for the use of those participating in the trial.

When they disappeared, Bill turned to his family. "Could you have looked anymore unwelcoming?" he spat.

"What?" his father asked after a few tries.

"He thinks you're disgusted with him-would it have killed you to have smiled and hugged him maybe?" Bill took a deep breath to calm his rising temper. He was angry at how light Fudge had gotten off, not really his family. "Why did you have to look at him like that?" he asked finally after a few moments of awkward silence.

"The twins-we didn't realise they'd gone in until it was too late, they came out before you did, they told us some of the things Fudge did--we didn't have time to think…" his father trailed off.

"I should never have listened to you! Where is he Bill? Where is my poor baby?" his mother said, the stubborn Weasley look in her eyes.

"Mum, if you went to him now it wouldn't help. He wouldn't listen, in the space of three seconds he managed to convince himself very firmly that you hate him, I'm sorry mum, but if any of you went to him now, it would make him worse. Please, just give him space, and give me time to talk to him." Bill looked at her pleadingly.

With a defeated sob, she nodded.

"Thanks mum." He said, drawing her into a hug, he kissed the top of her head. "I'd better get going, stop the withdrawal before it starts."

He was walking away when he heard his mother said quietly. "Tell him to come home Bill, tell him I want to see him."

Bill smiled. "I will mum."

When he had disappeared, Ron finally found his voice enough to ask. "Where are Fred'n'Goerge?"

The Weasely twins had vanished after telling them what had happened to Percy, and no one knew to where.

Bill was practically accosted by Charlie as soon as he landed in his fireplace. "Bill, come on, talk to him! He's barricaded himself in his room and he won't listen to us. Oliver's trying to talk to him now, but… Bill come on, fix this!"

Bill was at the door to Percy's room before he had time to blink, Oliver levelled him with a pleading stare. Bill knocked the door, turning the doorknob. Locked. "Percy, let me in."

Nothing.

"Perce, come on, open the door and let me in. just me, we need to talk." He said, with just a hint of older brother authority. He tried the door handle again after a few seconds. It opened. He stepped in, blocking the view of the room from the other two and closed the door behind him. "Perce?" he asked softly.

Percy didn't look up from where he was curled up on the bed, arms wrapped securely round his knees; his wand was lying beside him. Bill sat beside him, moving the wand to the side and pulled Percy into a half hug.

"Ok, so how about you tell me what's wrong?" Bill said quietly.

"You know what's wrong." Percy said, his voice surprisingly bitter.

"No, I don't, so tell me."

Percy pulled away, his eyes shining with tears. "I am what's wrong Bill! Me! What I am!"

Bill studied him and had to smiled, so very sadly. "Oliver's the same Percy; he's gay, just like you."

There was no flicker of surprise, so Oliver had told him about that.

"It's not the same." Percy said, deflating, letting himself slide to the floor. "It's just not the same."

"And why not?"

"Just because." Percy whispered, he rubbed at his eyes in an attempt to make his tears go away. "He's Oliver… nothing can ever be wrong with Oliver."

Bill tried, rather vainly, to follow his brother's very warped logic. "Percy, there is nothing wrong with you. Fudge was a bastard; it's him that's wrong, not you."

"And mum? And dad? And Ron, Ginny? Are they all wrong too Bill. I don't think so. If they hate me then there has to be something wrong. I should have never done that. I just should have…" he trailed off, his voice cracking with the strain of his emotion. "And the court… they're not wrong Bill… so that has to mean I am… what I am… who I am… I just don't know…" he choked out finally.

Bill slid down beside him and pulled him close, ignoring the way he stiffened at the contact. "Mum and dad don't hate you Percy… they were angry and disgusted at what happened _to_ you, not _at_ you, they love you Perce, and they want you to come home."

"I… I can't… Bill, I can't." he mumbled.

"You don't have to go now Perce, not until you're ready." Bill soothed, stroking Percy's hair.

They sat in silence for a long time. Finally, Bill pulled away enough to turn and look Percy straight in the eye.

"You are not wrong Percy. Different, but not wrong, and there is nothing wrong with being different. I love the fact that you're different. You've just got to accept it about yourself. Now come on, before Charlie and Oliver come bursting in." Bill said softly, a small smile playing on his lips.

Percy returned a rather weak one, but it was a start.

Fudge had been brought to justice-not nearly enough. A slap on the wrist, being demoted and having to pay compensation to Percy was nowhere near enough. But it was a start.

Now the healing process could truly begin.


	9. Chapter 9

_Chapter 9_

The twins came to their house, their faces set in identical masks of anger and shock. How could anyone do that to their brother, even if he was an egotistical prick most of the time--all because he was gay? It was beyond stupid! And what Fudge had had done to him was nothing near what he should have gotten--Azkaban was too good for the man.

No words passed between them as they worked long into the night on the perfect revenge for what Percy had been forced to endure. And when they were done, they promptly sent a letter to Bill and Charlie.

Which Charlie picked up three days later, read and laughed until his sides hurt. Bill, hearing the commotion joined him in the kitchen and demanded to know what was so funny. So, Charlie told him.

"They didn't!" Bill cried with a smile.

Charlie nodded vigorously. "They did!"

"Oh yes! That bastard deserved it!"

Percy shuffled to the door of the kitchen to find out what was going on. "Who did what?"

Bill turned with a worried smile as Charlie answered. "The twins sent Fudge a box of chocolates…" he burst out laughing.

Percy's' eyes became haunted.

"That have a delayed reaction time. So he'll eat all of them and suddenly come down with a bunch of different ailments!" Charlie finished with an effort, again bursting into laughter.

Percy offered a small smile. Bill smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry 'bout it Perce, he can't do anything to you over it. Hell he can't even touch the twins."

Percy looked thoughtful. "Why did they…?"

"Why did they what Perce?" Charlie asked.

"Why did they do that? Was it a new product or something they needed to test?" Percy asked.

Charlie's jaw dropped in surprised at the words. Bill frowned in concern. "No Perce, they didn't do it to test them."

"Then… then why?" Percy asked, guarded.

"Because Fudge is a bastard who should have gotten worse than he did for what he put you through!" Charlie burst out.

"Did someone tell them to send it?"

"No." Bill replied quietly.

"Then why…?"

"Because you're their brother Perce, they care about you, and what Fudge did was inexcusable to all of us. They did what any of us would have done had we the resources." Bill said softly, worried at the pain in his brothers eyes.

"But they hate me…" he trailed off, hugging himself, confused.

Bill pulled him into a hug. "They don't hate you; I can guarantee that they're kicking themselves right now for all the horrible things they ever said to you. They never meant it to hurt you, not really."

"I… I know-but I let it hurt… I shouldn't have… I just… just like I shouldn't have let Fudge and… and M… Flint hurt me… I…"

"Shh," Bill soothed. "Shh, it's ok Perce, you'll be ok. It wasn't your fault; none of this was your fault."

Percy just cried.

Bill looked over Percy's shoulder to Charlie who was biting his lip, but whether to keep back his anger or tears of his own Bill wasn't sure, not with the majority of his attention focused on Percy. Charlie met his eyes and gave him a sad smile.

Finally, a week later, when Percy was feeling better, Bill had decided it was about time he see their mother. Of course, it had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that his mother was badgering him to let her see Percy; it had taken all he had to make her promise to leave it alone for as long as she had.

"Mum!" Charlie called. "Dad!"

Percy stood fidgeting beside Bill; this was the first time he had been back here in about six years. Bill kept an affectionate hand on his shoulder. It served a dual purpose; it reassured Percy that Bill would be there with his throughout, while it also kept him from backing out and running.

"It'll be fine Perce." Bill whispered.

"Mum!" Charlie called again.

The door suddenly opened and their mother looked out, she didn't cry 'Bill!' or 'Charlie!' in fact she didn't say anything. Charlie stepped aside and Percy found himself enveloped in one of his mother's bone crushing, loving hugs.

"Percy!" she said fiercely. "My little Percy! Are you all right? Have you been eating well? Have they been looking after you?" she asked.

"Mum!" Bill and Charlie cried in unison.

"Sorry boys." She said, flushed. "You're father would have been here, but he was called away at the last minute. Oh Percy!" she hugged him again.

She didn't let go of Percy for more than a few seconds during the entire visit.

"Will you be staying tonight?" she asked about an hour later, no one else was there, and wouldn't be until Percy had gone, none of them thought him ready for it yet.

Bill glanced at Percy, who was becoming restless, unable to get back into the family banter, but then, he had always remained outside it before, and he looked anxious to get out. "No mum, maybe another night."

Percy cast a relieved look his way and he smiled.

"Ok." Their mother tried to keep the disappointment out of her voice; she refused to give her son any more reason to feel bad about what happened. "Next time then and maybe you could come for dinner?"

All eyes turned to Percy, who nodded meekly and looked down.

"Right." Charlie smiled. "We'd better get you home and ready to go out little bro." he got to his feet and pulled Percy up with him. "Bye mum." He waved and they apparated, leaving Bill to answer all the inevitable questions.

"Go out where?" Molly turned to her oldest son.

Bill sighed, shook his head and smiled. "Don't say anything mum, but Percy's got a date tonight, a proper date from what I hear."

"With who?"

"Do you remember Percy's roommate from Hogwarts?" Bill asked.

Molly thought about it. "Oh yes--we had him over a few times when Percy was in third year--Oliver… Oliver Wood I believe he was called, quiddich? Yes?"

"That's the one."

"And Percy's got a date with him?"

"Yep. Oliver works in the Romanian branch of Gringotts--he's up learning some stuff with me at the moment, he's going to do curse breaking down there."

"Oh."

"Yeah. I'm gonna head mum, before Charlie picks out a terrible outfit, their taste in clothes is a bad as each others."

"Of course dear. Do look after him for me. I don't want to see him hurt again."

"Don't worry mum. We'll look after him."

"I know, I just worry."

"He'll be fine mum." Bill smiled as he pulled out his wand and apparated.


	10. Chapter 10

_Chapter 10_

"Hey Percy!" Oliver smiled, hugging him warmly. "How are you?" he knew Percy had been going to see his parents today, for the first time in six years. It must have been awkward.

Percy smiled slightly. "Ok."

"Good. " Oliver grinned. "Ready for dinner?"

Percy nodded.

Oliver took him to one of the more secluded restaurants in the muggle city of Cairo. Halfway through the meal, after they had settled into a comfortable silence Oliver asked suddenly. "Are you going to take the job?"

Percy shrugged. "I'm not sure. I still have a week to consider." He had barely thought about the job offer at the Dragon reserve since the trial, but now that he thought about it…

"You want to take it though don't you?" Oliver pressed, reading the look on Percy's face easily.

Percy ducked his head to hide his emotions. "Yes."

"So why are you hesitating?"

"Well first there was the trial… and now… well now I just… I don't want to…" he trailed off, embarrassed, he didn't want to lose what he had built up with Oliver.

Oliver smiled, knowing what Percy meant. "Perce."

"Hmm?" Percy looked up, fear again in his eyes.

"I needed to know what you were going to do before I told you this. I was going to transfer if you weren't going to take the job, but anyway, my real job is in Romania." He watched Percy's reactions carefully.

"What?" Percy asked, his eyes glowing with interest and something more. "You mean…"

"If you accept the job we'll be practically be working beside each other."

"Really?"

Oliver nodded, he reached across the table, and, taking the plunge took one of Percy's hands in his, stroking the soft skin with his fingers.

"So if I accept the job we can… we can continue this…?" Percy asked, his tone shy.

Oliver's smile could have lit up the room. "I was hoping you'd say that! Of course we could Perce!" he would have leaped up and hugged him again, but Percy had been getting too much attention recently because of being gay to justify it.

"Oliver…" Percy asked after a while, his eyes fastened to where Oliver was still stroking his hand.

"Yes?"

"Would you say that we were… we were… dating?" the last word was barely above a breath, his eyes flicked up to Oliver's that fearful look back again.

Oliver smiled. "Yes Percy, I would say we were dating-why?" he felt his heart glow as a shy smile lit up Percy's face.

"Just wondering." Percy murmured, glancing up at Oliver's warm and loving brown eyes.

Maybe the world wasn't so bad after all.

So he accepted the job at the Dragon Reserve. Charlie had spent the better part of the next week, while helping him find his very own apartment (paid for by the first of the compensation money), going over the rules; drilling it into his head what he should and shouldn't do around a dragon. The other part of said week was spent muttering about how he was going to have to keep a very close eye and an amazingly reckless younger brother, how grey he was going to be by the end of the year, and how many heart attacks Percy was going to give him. Luckily, Percy wasn't actually around to hear those last comments, but Bill spent the better part of that week laughing at him.

Picking the apartment had taken a long time, Percy was agonisingly picky now that he had some of his confidence back, not that he ever said anything about it, nodding when he was supposed to, it was like he was trying to keep on their good sides, but it was obvious in his body language. But eventually they had found a nice little apartment for him.

Then Charlie suggested a house warming party, he mentioned the people from the reserve, Bill mentioned the family, and after very careful deliberation, Percy agreed.

Which was how he had come to be standing, nervously, and somewhat stiffly beside Oliver, his eyes raking the small crowd in his living room, trying to keep all his family in sight. He had avoided them so far, he knew he shouldn't have, but it was a deep-rooted fear that made him.

"Percy."

He started at Ginny's voice, heart leaping into his throat. He swallowed hard, paling slightly. "G. Ginny." He managed to squawk out, only Oliver's hand slipping deftly into his kept him from running.

Ginny seemed to be having the same kind of trouble with words as he was, finally she just came forward and hugged him. She had changed from the little girl he remembered, but obviously not by very much. Her head buried into his shoulder. "I'm sorry Percy." She whispered.

He blinked over her shoulder at Oliver, surprised. "Why are you sorry?" he asked, unsure.

She pulled back, wiping faint tears off her cheeks. "Because I was stupid enough to let my big brother get hurt for something that's not his fault." She hugged him again, as fierce as any of their mothers. "Love you." She said, giving him an extra squeeze before pulling away completely. "Nice party by the way." Her eyes darted to the crowd for a moment. "I've got to go and see if Karl is still here." She smiled at him before slipping away.

Percy watched her go, frowning lightly. Oliver coughed pointedly, drawing his attention back to him, then nodded to where the twins were standing, very serious expressions on their faces.

"We were just talking to Bill and Charlie-"

"And they said you thought we hated you-"

"How could you even think that Perce?"

"We don't hate you."

"Well... I em…" he trailed off helplessly, looking from one to the other.

George took the first step forward and hugged Percy; he had always been the more open twin. "We really don't hate you Percy, and if we could have gotten away with it we would have done a whole lot worse to that bastard."

Fred nodded in agreement. "Like transporting him to Azkaban would have been good."

George nodded, pulling away.

Then came the awkward silence that was always reserved for that moment just after the twins had a serious moment, before finally Fred smiled. "Nice choice by the way Perce-"

"Will you be making Oliver an honorary Weasley too?"

They turned to Oliver when Percy blushed, faces serious again. "Hurt him and we have another box of those chocolates with your name on it--and we will make you eat them." They smiled devilishly.

Oliver nodded, but smiled, he was becoming quite used to the Weasely families threats of bodily harm, Charlie (if he was over) and Bill had not failed to give him one every time he took Percy somewhere--they were as bad as the twins in that regard. But he also knew they were very serious.

"Fred! George!" Percy squeaked suddenly.

They turned their hundred watt grins on him. "That's our Percy." They laughed.

They stayed a few minutes longer before heading back to find Bill and Charlie again. Oliver too made his way into the crowd to find the food table, wherever it had managed to set itself, leaving Percy standing alone by the door to the kitchen. He was still going over what the twins had said, so caught up he failed to notice when Ron had joined him--Harry and Hermione where somewhere in the room.

"Nice party Perce, so are all these people you'll be working with?" Ron asked after a minute of silence, startling Percy out of his thoughts.

Quickly considering all responses, Percy finally settled on a nod. "Yes."

"Never would have taken you for a dragon tamer, but that Vlad guys done nothing but go on about it to dad for the past hour. So you must be good."

Percy shrugged, blushing again.

"Percy, I'm sorry, I mean, sure you're a stuck up prick most of the time, but I should have known you wouldn't just turn on us like that." Ron winced, he hadn't meant for it to come out quite like that.

To Percy's great surprise, as well as Ron's he broke into a smile.

"You know, you really don't have anything to be sorry about." Percy said quietly, smile fading. "If anybodies sorry it should be me. I should have known that you wouldn't take it as badly as I expected." He shrugged.

"Wasn't your fault--we hardly gave you a reason to believe we wouldn't really, I mean, we were pretty mean to you." Ron said, looking at his brother--he had always had a connection with Percy; they both strived to be something they just weren't. "Not that you didn't deserve it sometimes."

"I suppose I was a little overbearing in school wasn't I?" he said, smiling again.

"Just a little." Ron smiled. "I'm glad your back now Percy. You'll have to come visit me at some point."

It was then Percy really realised that he knew practically nothing about what had happened to his family in those six years. Ron would be out of school now. "What do you do nowadays?" he asked quietly, trying to ignore the guilt welling up inside him.

"I have a column in the Daily Prophet." Ron replied.

"Oh."

"I should get an interview with you--youngest Dragon Tamer in how long? It would make a good story." Ron smiled.

The two talked until it was nearly time for everyone to go. Feeling more at ease now Percy went to the door to see them all out. Finally, it was only his family and Oliver left. Oliver gave him a hug and promised to take him out somewhere nice the next night. Which left his family.

Bill and Charlie were standing at the back, wearing almost identical concerned smiles, they knew the twins, Ron and Ginny had talked to Percy, their mum had, which only left their father. The relationship between father and son had been somewhat strained for years. Percy had always tried to make his father proud of him by working hard, and it always seemed that his father never noticed.

There were hugs all round and Molly, the twins, Ron and Ginny left the apartment, all sensing that Arthur and Percy had things to resolve. Bill and Charlie however stayed in the room, protective older brother instincts kicking in; they had to stay and make sure Percy was all right--not, of course, that they didn't trust their father not to hurt him.

"Percy."

"Dad."

That was all that was said, and they stood, for a long time, Arthur studying his son, Percy looking anywhere but at his father. Finally, Arthur reached over and pulled Percy into a tight embrace, landing a soft kiss to his forehead like he had not done in twenty years. "I'm proud of you son." He said softly.

Percy froze at the hug, the kiss, the words. Then he snaked his arms around his father and hugged back, feeling a closeness he was sure had never been there before. Inexplicitly his mind drifted back to when his father had first given him that battered old copy of Animal Farm.

_The End_

_I hope you enjoyed Percy's Pain. Please review._


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